Handle and actuating device for attachment to aerosol containers



March 9, 1965 J. BELPEDIO 3,

HANDLE AND ACTUATING DEVICE FOR ATTACHMENT To AEROSQL CONTAINERS Filed Feb. 12, 1965 INVENTOR.

1.] DEIEIY' EELPEDID BY ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,172,582 HANDLE AND ACTUATING DEVICE FOR AT- TACHMENT T8 AEROSOL CONTAINERS lobby Belpedio, 2209 North Ave., Bridgeport, Conn. Filed Feb. 12, 1963, Ser. No. 258,026 8 Claims. (Cl. 222-473) The present invention relates to a handle and actuating device for attachment to aerosol containers, particularly of the type having a depressible spring-biased spray nozzle mounted in the upper end of the container, and which in normal use is adapted to be depressed by the index finger of the hand holding the container to actuate a release valve to cause a spray of the contents of the container to be directed laterally from the nozzle. This is an awkward procedure and frequently results in misdirecting the spray and the likelihood of soiling the fingers through inadvertent contact with the spray. As the nozzle must be depressed by the end of the finger while at the same time grasping the container considerable effort is required particularly during sustained use, for example when spraying paint or lacquer where it is desired to maintain a uniform spray for a considerable period.

An object of the present invention is to provide a handle and actuating device of extremely simple and inexpensive construction and capable of easy and eflicient operation either for directing the spray for a short period or over a relatively long sustained period. To this end it is proposed to provide a device including means for attaching to an aerosol container, a handle to be grasped by the hand of the user, a spray nozzle depressing springbiased lever for actuation by the thumb, and automatic spring-biased latching means arranged to latch the lever in spraying position when desired, through depression of the lever to a predetermined point. A further object is to provide a device of this character formed of a single piece of sheet metal material, for example sheet steel, suitably tempered to provide inherent springiness for the purpose of spring-biasing the relatively movable elements of the device.

The device according to the preferred embodiment of the invention is especially adapted to have snap enagement with a conventional type of aerosol container wherein the depressible nozzle is disposed centrally within a recessed upper end of the container, the recess being defined by an annular undercut bead formation. It is particularly proposed to provide an annular series of fingers for snap engagement with such undercut bead incorporated in an inherently resilient base wall of the device, so arranged with respect to the nozzle actuating lever that upward pressure exerted upon the lever causes the base wall to be warped under tension in such manner as to contract the bead engaging fingers from their normal bead engaging position to thus permit the device to be easily engaged with or removed from the container.

A further object is to provide a device of this character wherein the actuating lever is provided with positioning means for engaging th spray nozzle to maintain it in properly aligned position as the device is actuated, and particularly to prevent sidewise deflection of the nozzle, it being pointed out that the valve stem upon which the nozzle is mounted is normally formed of plastic material capable of bending under sidewise pressure.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein a satisfactory embodiment of the invention is shown. However, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the details disclosed but includes all such variations and modifications as fall within the 3,172,582 Patented Mar. 9, 1965 ice spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a handle and actuating device for aerosol containers according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view, the dot-and-dash lines showing the latching means in its latching position;

FIG. 4 is a view partially in side elevation and partially in vertical section showing the device attached to an aerosol container, the light dot-and-dash lines indicating the normal nozzle actuating range of the actuating lever to which it is moved by thumb pressure in the direction of the arrow, and the heavy dot-and-dash lines indicating the latched position which it assumes upon being moved beyond its normal actuating range;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation showing the device actuated by exerting thumb pressure in the direction of the arrow to cause the bead engaging fingers to be contracted.

Referring to the drawings, the handle and actuating device for attachment to aerosol containers, according to the exemplary embodiment of the invention illustrated therein, is preferably formed from sheet metal, for example steel, blanked and formed to shape and tempered to render it inherently springy. The device comprises a fiat horizontal base wall 10 from the rearward end of which a handle 11 is bent in downwardly and outwardly inclined relation, the handle and the bend 12 connecting it to the base wall being transversely curved to impart relative rigidity to the handle and the bend. The side edges of the base wall 10 diverge in a forward direction from the side edges of the bend and merge with the parallel side edges l313 of a widened forward part of the base wall provided with a circular opening 14 for receiving the nozzle of the container. A series of equally spaced fingers l5 depend from the edge 16 of the opening and are curved or bowed for interlocking engagement with the undercut bead formation surrounding the recess in the top of a conventional aerosol container, as will presently be more fully pointed out. The fingers are inherently resilient so that they are capable of having snap engagement with or disengagement from the undercut bead formation.

An actuating lever 17 is disposed in spaced relation above the base wall 10 and is integrally connected to the forward end of the base wall by a forward Wall18 convexly curved between the base wall and the lever and having parallel side edges extended from the side edges 1313 of the base wall. A spray opening 19 in the forward wall 18 is defined by a lower horizontal edge 20 disposed within the plane of the base wall 10, side edges 2121 parallel to the side edges of the forward wall, and a top edge 22 disposed in contiguous relation forwardly of an upwardly embossed recess formation 23 provided in the forward end of the actuating lever 17 in substantially centered relation with respect to the circular opening 14. The construction and arrangement of the forward wall 18 is such that the wall portions at each side of the opening 19 connecting the base wall and the actuating lever are relatively narrow and therefore provide areas of relatively greater springiness than the adjacent relatively stiff portions of the base wall and the actuating lever, so that these narrow forward wall portions are in effect spring hinge connections between the base Wall and the lever and spring bias the lever to its normal upwardly inclined position as indicated in FIG. 1. At its rearward end the actuating lever is provided with an upwardly embossed convex pad portion 24 in convenient position for engagement by the thumb of the hand grasping the handle 11 to exert downward pressure upon the actuating lever. The side edges of the actuating lever preferably converge inwardly at 3 each side of the recess 23, as at -25, and then extend rearwardly in parallel relation, as at 26-26.

Along one side edge 13 of the base wall adjacent the forward wall 18, preferably the right hand edge as viewed from the right in FIG. 3, there is integrally connected by bending upwardly therefrom an upwardly and rearwardly extending leaf spring latching member 27, its rearwardly extending portion being bent into V-shape with the surface of its apex portion disposed vertically and normally engaged under tension with one edge of the actuating lever 17. The dot-and-dash lines in FIG. 3 indicate the latching position overlying the actuating lever to which the latching member is spring biased. The vertical dimension of the apex surface is such that the edge of the actuating member remains in contact therewith within the normal spray actuating range of the lever, that is, while the lever is in its normal at rest spring biased position as shown in full lines in FIG. 4 and during its movement through the normal spray actuating range to the position indicated by the light dot-and-dash lines in FIG. 4. When the lever is depressed beyond the normal range to the position indicated by the heavy dot-and-dash lines in FIG. 4 below the lower edge of the latching member the latter moves to the latching position indicated by the dot-and-dash lines in FIG. 3 above the lever and thus latches it in its depressed position. The lower edge 28 of the latching member is preferably inclined in correspondence to the downward and rearward inclination of the lever in its fully depressed position to permit easy movement of the latching member and firm latching engagement with the lever. In order to release the lever the latching member is simply pressed outwardly by the thumb beyond the edge of the lever which then moves to its normal position.

The aerosol container 29 to which the device of the invention is adapted to be attached is of conventional type closed at its upper end by a cup-shaped cap 36 crimped over the neck 31 of a domed head 32 to provide an undercut annular bead formation 33 surrounding an upwardly facing recess. A valve 34 is centrally supported by the cap and is actuated by an upwardly extending tubular valve stem 35 having a depressible push-button like nozzle 36 engaged upon its upper end. A spray orifice 37 in the nozzle is in communication with the passage through the stern and upon actuation of the valve through depression of the nozzle ejects a gradually spreading laterally directed spray.

As seen in FIG. 4, the base wall 10 is attached to the container by interlocking engagement of the resilient fingers 15 with the undercut surface of the bead formation 33 with the nozzle 36 and stem 35 extending upwardly through the opening 14, and with the upper end of the nozzle positioned within the recess formation 23 of the actuating lever. The device is engaged in such position that the orifice of the nozzle is directed centrally through the opening 19 of the forward wall 18. In the operation of the device the handle 11 is grasped with the thumb engaged with the pad 24 of the lever and by exerting downward pressure of the thumb in the direction of the arrow as indicated in FIG. 4 the lever is depressed and actuates the 'valve to cause the nozzle to direct the spray through the opening 19. As indicated heretofore the light dot-anddash lines indicate the normal spraying range. When it is desired to latch the lever in spraying position for a sustained spraying operation the lever is depressed to the heavy dot-and-dash line position whereupon the latching member moves into latching position to retain the depressed position of the lever.

As seen in FIG. 3 the disposition of the opening 14 within the forward widened part of the base wall 10 is such that the portions of the base wall at each side of the opening and in line with its transverse diameter are relatively narrow. Also the arrangement of the fingers 15, preferably six in number, is such that the two fingers disposed at each side of the opening are equally spaced from its transverse diameter. As a result the narrow portions of the base wall disposed between the spaced fingers at each side present areas having relatively less resistance to bending than the remaining portions of the base wall. Additionally, the convexly curved forward wall 18 is more resistant to bending through pressure exerted upwardly upon the lever 17 than it is to pressure exerted downwardly thereon. Thus, when the handle of the lever is grasped and upward pressure of the thumb is exerted 'upon the lever in the direction of the arrow as seen in FIG. 5 the base wall is warped or bent downwardly at its forward end causing the fingers disposed forwardly of the narrow bending areas to be moved toward the rearwardly disposed fingers, with the result that the annular series of fingers are contracted from the normal position as seen in FIG. 1 to the contracted position as seen in FIG. 5. While thus contracted the fingers are easily engaged within the recessed end of the aerosol container, and upon release of the lever resume their normal expanded position in interlocked relation with the undercut bead formation. In the interlocked relation the device is firmly held upon the container and, although it may be disengaged by tilting or lifting the base wall to cause the fingers to resiliently disengage, it is more easily removed by pressing the lever 17 upwardly as seen in FIG. 5 to contract the fingers.

What is claimed is:

l. A handle and actuating device for attachment to an aerosol container having a depressible valve actuating nozzle projecting upwardly from its upper end for ejecting a spray laterally therefrom, comprising a horizontal base wall having an opening disposed between its forward and rearward ends for receiving said nozzle, means for releasably securing said base wall to said container with said nozzle projecting upwardly through said opening, a handle integral with and extending down wardly from the rearward end of said base wall, a forward wall comprising a pair of laterally spaced resilient wall portions integrally connected at their lower ends to and extending upwardly from the forward end of said base wall and defining an opening between them for the lateral passage of said spray, and a lever integrally connected to the upper ends of said wall portions extending rearwardly therefrom and spring biased thereby to a normal position in upwardly spaced opposed relation to said base wall for engaging said nozzle to de press it upon downward swinging movement of said lever through the resilient flexing of said forward wall, the rearward end of said lever being free and in such relation to said handle as to be engaged and pressed downwardly by the thumb of a hand grasping said handle.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said lever has a downwardly opening recess for receiving and positioning said nozzle.

3. The invention as defined in claim 1, further characterized by a spring biased latching member supported by said base wall having a vertically disposed surface laterally opposed and normally engaged under spring pressure with an edge of said lever in the normal raised position of said lever and during partial downward movement thereof and said member adapted upon downward movement of said lever below said vertical surface to move into overlying latching relation with said lever.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3, wherein said latching member is in the form of a leaf spring integral with said base wall.

5. A handle and actuating device for attachment to an aerosol container having a recessed upper end defined by an undercut annular bead and a depressible valve actuating nozzle projecting centrally upwardly from said recessed upper end for ejecting a spray laterally therefrom, comprising a horizontal base wall having an opening disposed between its forward and rearward ends and centrally between its side edges for receiving said nozzle, an annular series of resilient fingers projecting downwardly from the edge of said opening for interlocking engagement with said undercut bead with said nozzle projecting upwardly through said opening, certain of said fingers being disposed forwardly of the transverse diameter of said opening and certain of said fingers being disposed rearwardly thereof, a handle integral with and extending downwardly from the rearward end of said base Wall, a forward wall comprising a pair of laterally spaced resilient wall portions integrally connected at their lower ends to and extending upwardly from the forward end of said base wall and defining an opening between them for the lateral passage of said spray, and a lever integrally connected to the upper ends of said wall portions extending rearwardly therefrom and spring biased thereby to a normal position in upwardly spaced opposed relation to said base wall for engaging said nozzle to depress it upon downward swinging movement of said lever through the resilient flexing of said forward wall, the rearward end of said lever being free and in such relation to said handle as to be engaged and pressed downwardly by the thumb of a hand grasping said handle, and said base Wall having resiliently bendable areas at each side of said opening therein substantially in line with its said transverse diameter whereby upward movement of said lever from its normal spring biased position imparts bending movement to said base wall to cause said forwardly disposed fingers to move toward said rearwardly disposed fingers.

6. The invention as defined in claim 5, wherein said forward wall is convexly curved outwardly between said base wall and said lever.

7. The invention as defined in claim 6, wherein certain of said fingers at each side of said opening are equally spaced forwardly and rearwardly of its said transverse diameter to define said bendable areas.

8. A handle and actuating device for attachment to an aerosol container having a depressible valve actuating nozzle projecting upwardly from its upper end for ejecting a spray laterally therefrom, comprising a horizontal base wall having an opening disposed between its forward and rearward ends for receiving said nozzle, means for releasably securing said base wall to said container with said nozzle projectin upwardly through said opening, a handle integral with and extending downwardly from the rearward end of said base wall, a forward wall comprising a pair of laterally spaced wall portions connected for relative movement at their lower ends to and extending upwardly from the forward end of said base wall and defining an opening between them far the lateral passage of said spray, and a lever integrally connected to the upper ends of said wall portions extending rearwardly therefrom in upwardly spaced opposed relation to said base wall for engaging said nozzle to depress it upon downward swinging movement of said lever through said relative movement of said forward wall, the rearward end of said lever being free and in such relation to said handle as to be engaged and pressed downwardly by the thumb of a hand grasping said handle.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,086,348 7/37 Bernhardt 222-324 X 2,376,052 5/45 Hacmac 222323 X 2,877,934 3/59 Wallace 222323 2,941,418 6/60 Esser et al. 251-115 X RAPHAEL M. LUPO, Primary Examiner. 

1. A HANDLE AND ACTUATING DEVICE FOR ATTACHMENT TO AN AEROSOL CONTAINER HAVING A DEPRESSIBLE VALVE ACTUATING NOZZLE PROJECTING UPWARDLY FROM ITS UPPER END FOR EJECTING A SPRAY LATERALLY THEREFROM, COMPRISING A HORIZONTAL BASE WALL HAVING AN OPENING DISPOSED BETWEEN ITS FORWARD AND REARWARD ENDS FOR RECEIVING SAID NOZZLE, MEANS FOR RELEASABLY SECURING SAID BASE WALL TO SAID CONTAINER WITH SAID NOZZLE PROJECTING UPWARDLY THROUGH SAID OPENING, A HANDLE INTEGRAL WITH AND EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM THE REARWARD END OF SAID BASE WALL, A FORWARD WALL COMPRISING A PAIR OF LATERALLY SPACED RESILIENT WALL PORTIONS INTEGRALLY CONNECTED AT THEIR LOWER ENDS TO AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM THE FORWARD END OF SAID BASE WALL AND DEFINING AN OPENING BETWEEN THEM FOR THE LATERAL PASSAGE OF SAID SPRAY, AND A LEVER INTEGRALLY CONNECTED TO THE UPPER ENDS OF SAID WALL PORTIONS EXTENDING REARWARDLY THEREFROM AND SPRING BIASED THEREBY TO A NORMAL POSITION IN UPWARDLY SPACED OPPOSED RELATION TO SAID BASE WALL FOR ENGAGING SAID NOZZLE TO DEPRESS IT UPON DOWNWARD SWINGING MOVEMENT OF SAID LEVER THROUGH THE RESILIENT FLEXING OF SAID FORWARD WALL, THE REARWARD END OF SAID LEVER BEING FREE AND IN SUCH RELATION TO SAID HANDLE AS TO BE ENGAGED AND PRESSED DOWNWARDLY BY THE THUMB OF A HAND GRASPING SAID HANDLE. 